Method of blood pressure moderation

ABSTRACT

A method of controlling the blood pressure in a patient with high blood pressure or low blood pressure utilizing a non-invasive nerve stimulation device applied to the wrist.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to moderation of blood pressure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

High blood pressure and low blood pressure are usually treated withdrugs. Several proposals have been made to treat blood pressure withelectrical stimulus applied to the body. For example, Terry, et al,Treating Refractory Hypertension By Nerve Stimulation, U.S. Pat. No.5,707,400 (Jan. 13, 1998) proposes implantation of an electrical coilaround the vagus nerve, which runs superficially through the neck, andstimulation of the vagus nerve to lower high blood pressure. Zhu, BloodPressure Depressor, U.S. Pat. No. 5,891,181 (Apr. 6, 1999) proposeselectrical stimulation of nerves in the ear lobe to lower bloodpressure. Pomeranz, et al, Electrotherapy Acupuncture Apparatus andMethod, U.S. Pat. No. 4,566,064 (Dec. 3, 1985) mentions blood pressureas an indication for electro-acupuncture, but does not mention any pointof application.

Bertolucci, Nausea Control Device, U.S. Pat. No. 4,981,146, Jan. 1,1991, describes a nausea control device in the form of a watch-likehousing attachable to the human wrist by an adjustable attachment band.The device uses non-invasive nerve stimulation whereby electricity ispassed through two electrodes to stimulate nerves located on the ventralside of the wrist (this anatomical position is sometimes referred to asthe palmar side of the wrist). The treatment provided by the device issometimes referred to as electro-acupuncture, which is a form ofacupuncture, and the ventral site of application is referred to in theacupuncture art as the P6 point, pericardium 6 point, or master point ofthe pericardium meridian (sometimes referred to as the vascularmeridian). A primary object of the invention is to provide anon-chemical, non-invasive, painless and inexpensive method ofalleviating nausea. It is also portable, self-contained and convenientto the patient. Electrical pulse repetition rate of approximately 70pulses per second and a pulse width of 80 microseconds has been found toprovide effective relief of nausea in a patient. Our currently preferredelectrical pulse pattern comprises about 350 microsecond pulse width atabout 31 pulses per second at power levels of about 10-35 milli-ampspeak pulse height. Thus a wide range of pulse patterns may be used innon-invasive nerve stimulation devices.

Recently, we have discovered that the application of electrical stimulusto the wrist, on the ventral side of the wrist and near the P6acupuncture point, effectively moderates blood pressure.

SUMMARY

The method described below employs use of the device described inBertolucci, Nausea Control Device, U.S. Pat. No. 4,981,146, Jan. 1,1991, and similar devices for moderation of blood pressure in patientssuffering from high or low blood pressure. A patient desiring tomoderate his or her blood pressure places a pair of electrodes on theinside (ventral side) of the wrist, and applying electrical stimulationto the wrist through these electrodes. This has the effect of moderatingblood pressure in the patient, lowering high blood pressure and raisinglow blood pressure. The electrodes, pulse generating circuitry, andpower supply are most conveniently packaged in a wrist-watch likehousing which is held to the wrist with a watch band or with adhesive onthe device. The technique accomplished by the device is referred to aselectro-acupuncture or non-invasive nerve stimulation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURE

The FIGURE illustrates placement of an electroacupuncture over the P6acupuncture point on the human wrist.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Our discovery derives from speculation regarding the potentialbiological effects of electrical stimulation of the P6 acupuncture pointbeyond the suppression of nausea described in the Bertolucci patent.Volunteer patients were tested for blood pressure, with two bloodpressure measurements taken about five minutes apart. All subjects hadthe ReliefBand® NST™ non-invasive nerve stimulation device placed ontheir left wrist, as shown in the figure, for approximately thirtyminutes. The ReliefBand® NST™ non-invasive nerve stimulation device 1was secured with strap 2 to the ventral side of the wrist 3 such thatthe pair of electrodes 4 were disposed over the median nerve 5(indicated by the phantom line) in contact with the skin in the vicinityof the P6 acupuncture point. The electrodes are on the underside of thehousing 6, the required battery and control electronics are housedwithin the housing, and input mechanisms are located on the outer faceof the housing. After thirty minutes of treatment, the blood pressure ofeach patient was measured twice (measurements were separated by fiveminutes interval). A statistically significant reduction in bloodpressure was observed in the group. In some patients, blood pressure waslowered by as much as ten percent. One patient whose blood pressure wasconsidered abnormally low was increased toward the normal range(systolic pressure of 100 mmHG was raised approximately 10%). Patientswith normal blood pressure at the start of the test were not observed tohave significant changes in their blood pressure after application ofthe stimulation.

The mechanism of action is not thoroughly understood. However, we expectthat both high blood pressure and low blood pressure conditions shouldbe moderated by application of the same electrical stimulation to theventral side of the wrist (or the P6 acupuncture point or the mediannerve). The technique accomplished by the device is referred to aselectro-acupuncture or non-invasive nerve stimulation, and hascomponents of acupuncture effect and acupressure. While we used theReliefBand® NST™ non-invasive nerve stimulation device, any suitablemeans of applying electrical stimulation to the median nerve should workto moderate blood pressure. Also, while we applied the electricalstimulation to the median nerve at its superficial route through thewrist, stimulation of the median nerve along its entire course shouldprovide similar benefits.

While the preferred embodiments of the methods have been described inreference to the environment in which they were developed, they aremerely illustrative of the principles of the inventions. Otherembodiments and configurations may be devised without departing from thespirit of the inventions and the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:
 1. A method of moderating blood pressure in a patient withabnormal blood pressure, said method comprising: mounting a non-invasivenerve stimulation device onto the ventral side of the patient's wrist;generating a stimulation signal; and delivering the stimulation signalto the ventral side of the wrist to moderate blood pressure of thepatient.
 2. A method of reducing blood pressure in a patient with highblood pressure, said method comprising the steps of: mounting anon-invasive nerve stimulation device onto the ventral side of thewrist; generating a stimulation signal; delivering the stimulationsignal to the ventral side of the wrist to reduce blood pressure in apatient.
 3. A method of moderating blood pressure in a patient with highor low blood pressure, said method comprising the steps of: mounting atleast one electrode onto the ventral side of the wrist; generating astimulation signal; and delivering the stimulation signal to said atleast one electrode to stimulate the ventral side of the wrist tomoderate blood pressure in a patient.
 4. The method of claim 3 whereinsaid mounting step includes providing a wristwatch-like housing carryingthe electrodes, and providing securing means for mounting the housingonto the wrist, with the housing having a circuit means for generatingthe stimulation signal encased within the housing.
 5. The method ofclaim 3 wherein said delivering step comprises delivering anintermittent stimulation signal.
 6. The method of claim 3 wherein saiddelivering step comprises delivering a continuous stimulation signal. 7.A method of controlling the blood pressure in a patient with high bloodpressure by remotely stimulating the patient's median nerve andassociated nerve structures with electrical energy.
 8. A method ofcontrolling the blood pressure in a patient with high blood pressurecomprising the steps of: mounting a non-invasive nerve stimulationdevice onto the wrist; generating an electrical stimulation signal; anddelivering the electrical stimulation signal to the wrist.
 9. A methodof controlling the blood pressure in a patient with high blood pressure,said method comprising the steps of: applying an electro-acupuncturedevice to the wrist; stimulating the wrist with the electro-acupuncturedevice.